About this project

VINYL MOON: The Mixtape Vinyl Club

$18,501

pledged of $10,000 goal

667

backers

What is VINYL MOON?

VINYL MOON creates an immersive music experience by curating a mix of new songs by emerging artists, pressing them on limited edition vinyl, and packaging them in original artwork record jackets. We’re creating a community of music junkies who love quality records, new bands, beautiful art, and a bit of surprise. All for just $25 a month. No commitments. No buffering.

Every volume of VINYL MOON includes:

A curated mix of ~10 songs by great new bands/musicians.

Pressed on limited edition colored vinyl.

Super premium record jackets designed by visual artists.

A postcard for each song that features band info and single artwork.

A members-only note about the music, art, and that month's experience.

VIP access to the monthly record release party (Held in different cities)

I’ve dedicated the past 6 years to sharing new songs and bands with the world through my music discovery website The Burning Ear. With many thousands of visitors a month, this independent online source for new music has become one of the most followed and respected sites among fans and industry alike, often catapulting bands onto online charts like Hype Machine.

My love for both new music and vinyl meant I was acquiring a lot of 7" records. I love a good 7" as much as the next guy but sometimes I want to sit down for more than 3 minutes... So I had a thought... By combining my passion for sharing new jams and a dedication to creative design I knew I could develop something that does not exist today. A new music & original art mixtape record club.

When it comes to new music, the Internet can be a magical place. However, it can also be difficult to truly hear and digest music online. Sound quality is subpar and distractions are constant. That is where vinyl comes in.

Vinyl record sales are making huge leaps in growth as people are looking for a richer way to experience the songs they love. I will leave the audiophile arguments about vinyl to another day, but it's impossible to deny the impact of engaging the senses of touch, sight, AND sound while listening to vinyl.

These "genre tags" are VERY rough guidelines

Part of the magic of VINYL MOON is the element of surprise. We live in a world where very few things are left unknown. On Spotify or Soundcloud, we often see the album art and name of a band before we hit play. When the mailman comes, we know exactly what is in that box from Amazon because we ordered it 2 days ago. VINYL MOON is like a surprise birthday party except that it happens every month and the people that show up are your future best friends.

With that said, VINYL MOON will retain the eclectic ideals of The Burning Ear, while leaning towards the kind of music that we think works best on Vinyl. Each volume will have a variety, but that variety will have flow. There are no exclusive genres, although we can safely say that things will fall under the very large umbrella of “indie” and be generally “grooveable”. There will be frequent appearances by “funky” and occasional cameos by “gritty”.

VINYL MOON VOLUME #1: Facts & Figures

TEN: Bands featured

SIX: Bands from The United States

FOUR: Different US states (CA, OR, CO, NY)

TWO: Bands from the United Kingdom

ONE: Band from Denmark and Australia (each)

1.8 MILLION: Cumulative Soundcloud plays between all songs

SIX: Songs that were the Hype Machine Top 10 charts

EIGHT: Bands who will make their vinyl debut on Vinyl Moon

FIVE HUNDRED: The number of records being pressed

Like the music, the artwork will typically be a surprise, but we know you want to see something here. Below is some previous work from the fantastic artist Joseph Veazey who is designing Volume #1.

Joe has been a designer for Adult Swim and is now an art director for fashion label Azede Jean-Pierre. His creativity runs deep and he has a passion for creating things with a playful streak that you often have to touch to fully enjoy.

Here is a brief glimpse at Joseph's sketches and painting of the artwork for Volume #1. This little GIF does not do the final product justice at all. The final gatefold jacket will involve multiple see-through die-cuts, spot UV ink, full color record sleeve, and more...

Having a community of like minded people is what makes music so exciting. Part of the reason I started The Burning Ear was to expose my friends to new bands I loved so I would have someone to go to their concerts with. VINYL MOON is an extension of that idea. We are all in it together.

From bands and artists to contracts and pressing plants, VINYL MOON is already underway! See below for the schedule of records in production and when they will arrive to subscribers.

Making any vinyl record is expensive. Making the premium vinyl experience of VINYL MOON is even more so. But we want to make sure it is affordable. Raising funds, and awareness, through Kickstarter allows the Vinyl Moon community to reach the critical mass necessary to get the bulk discounts on production that will keep things affordable.

With only 350 subscribers, VINYL MOON can move forward more or less sustainably. With 500 subscribers we can move forward reliably.

Since every record is only made in limited quantities your pledge acts as 2 things:

1. Payment for your first record.

2. A reserved spot in the subscription club.

After the Kickstarter ends, but before the first record is ready to ship, we will email everyone information to set up their account within the VINYL MOON website. There you will set up your subscription and pay for shipping for your first record. Then, each month your credit card will be seamlessly charged and a new volume of VINYL MOON will arrive on your doorstep.

If you are not satisfied with VINYL MOON when you receive it then you can cancel your subscription at any time. Space is limited so when VINYL MOON membership is full we will be able to take someone off the waiting list.

WHAT ABOUT SHIPPING?

Domestic US packaging and shipping will be under $5.

International rates will vary by country and depend on regional interest.
If you live abroad and have local friends then get them to subscribe with you and save on shipping!
International customers will also have the option of spacing out their mailings so they receive 3 volumes in one quarterly shipment at lower costs.

Full shipping details and prices will be determined at the end of the campaign. Shipping charges for Volume #1 only will be paid via the VINYL MOON website. For all future volumes, subscription and shipping will be charged together for convenience.

MASTERING THE MUSIC FOR VINYL

Every VINYL MOON record will be mastered specifically for vinyl by the fantastic Ray Janos. His vinyl mastering credits speak for themselves. (ahem... TV On The Radio, Joan Jett, Weezer, Taylor Swift, Future Islands... and that is just in 2014!) Ray is the go-to guy for major and indie labels who want their albums to sound the best on the audio spectrum of vinyl records.

Risks and challenges

VINYL PRODUCTION

The vinyl industry has seen huge growth in the past few years, however the number of plants manufacturing vinyl remains the same. This means huge demand and low supply which results in lengthy production turnarounds and frequent delays. However, we have partnered with the best in the business to ensure that quality is the highest possible and minimize the chance of delays. If we do encounter delays, we promise to be direct and transparent with our communication on what to expect and how the issues will be addressed. The satisfaction of the VINYL MOON community is our number 1 priority.

SHIPPING FRAGILE VINYL

Mailing delicate vinyl records is not an easy task but we have done in depth research on packaging solutions that are both robust and affordable.